ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bank — of a river
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a dance
  13. band — a music group
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. band — a ring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com